PIANC USA, COPRI, ASCE Dredging 2012 Short Course Dredge Operator Basics

The preliminary description of this training is classroom style-training on the fundamentals of dredging and understanding dredging theories, as well as various dredge systems, basic lever room controls & gauges, and basic pump maintenance. Each training class has a flexible agenda that may be changed from the typical training topics listed on page 2, depending on the scope and need of each training session. The training seminar is tailored to fit the needs of the particular venue and student base to ensure that questions that may arise during the training are properly addressed.

Training Topics
The typical agenda of the training course includes classroom style training on the fundamentals of dredging and understanding dredging theories. The topics covered in the classroom environment include, but are not limited to: What is a Centrifugal Pump
Centrifugal vs. Positive Displacement Effects on HP requirements vs. friction in both How a centrifugal pump works Front liner/impeller clearance and slurry re-circulation Pre-rotation & wear Proper pump impeller adjustment Measuring impeller shaft endplay for preventive maintenance scheduling Eye evacuation & atmospheric pressure Cause & effect of pump cavitation Parts of the centrifugal pump Various materials used in parts and why The use of 3-Vane vs. 4-Vane Impellers How to read a Theoretical Pump Curve (TPC) Head, pipeline length, and terminal elevation How to determine Flow Rate using the TPC Converting flow rate into Velocity How to convert Head to Pressure Determining Horse Power requirement Pump Efficiency and demonstrate how it affects HP requirement

Excavating System

Types of Excavators and their advantages/disadvantages How a basket cutter works Why does a cutter have a variable speed control Types of material and how they are classified (size) Compressive Strength Measurements (blow counts) HP, Torque, and Blade Cutting Forces Particle Size Restriction (Rotating Suction Screen) Description of heterogeneous flow Velocity vs. Turbulence with respect to pipe size Velocity requirements for various size material Pipeline size, velocity, friction, and production What is Critical Settling Velocity? Suction Dilution Valve Principles

Water & Slurry

Lever Room Typical lever room gauge layout Reading gauges and what they say to you Gauge readings of a plugged discharge Gauge readings of a plugged suction Gauge readings of a ladder grounding condition Gauge readings of maximum possible production rate Various instruments (Maximizer, flow meters, mass flow measurement, etc) Touch Screen Data Project Planning
Why project plans are important Example of a Typical Project Plan

Dredging Techniques Range Diagram Examples Building a face Advancing the cut Ladder Grounding What insitu means Sub-surface material characteristics (fluidized material) Free flowing material vs. consolidated material The Danger of a Collapsing Bank Atmospheric (barometric) restrictions and why Booster Pumping
When is it necessary Principles of booster pumping Discharge Head and Pressures

Training Materials

TPC examples Settling velocity chart Glossary of Terms HDPE & Steel Pipe Size Chart Dredge Pump Assembly Drawing